Sri Lanka’s Sonal Dinusha picked up the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award for August 2026, with the governing body confirming the honour on Thursday, September 17. It is the first time the young batter has received this recognition in his international career.
Dinusha’s performances in the two-match ICC World Test Championship series against India, played on home soil, earned him the accolade. Across four innings, he finished as the leading run-getter in the series, compiling 420 runs at an average of 140, with three centuries and a half-century to his name.
Notably, Dinusha had appeared in only three Tests for Sri Lanka before this series, making his output all the more remarkable for a batter so early in his career.
How did Dinusha perform across the two Tests?
In the first Test at Galle, Dinusha contributed 100 in the first innings and 84 in the second. Despite his efforts, Sri Lanka fell short, losing that match by 165 runs.
The second Test, held in Colombo from August 23 to 27, told a different story. Dinusha posted 103 in the first innings and then returned with an unbeaten 133 in the second, guiding Sri Lanka to a draw and earning the Player of the Match award for his efforts in that game. India won the series 1-0.
“This recognition means so much to me, especially so early in my career, and I’m truly grateful to the ICC for this honour. Scoring three centuries was a dream come true, made even more meaningful by achieving them in Colombo and Galle in front of our home fans,” Dinusha told ICC in a statement.
“The series against India will always hold a special place in my heart. Scoring three centuries was a dream come true, made even more meaningful by achieving them in Colombo and Galle in front of our home fans. Although we didn’t get the overall result we hoped for, the way our team fought back in the second match showed the character, belief and determination we have as a side. I’m proud to have shared that fight with my teammates,” Dinusha said further.
Dinusha made his Test debut for Sri Lanka last year, during the home series against Bangladesh. In a short time, the all-rounder has made a big impact while representing his team in the longest format, an achievement he isn’t taking for granted.
“Representing Sri Lanka is a privilege I never take for granted, and this recognition gives me even more motivation to keep learning, improving and contributing to the team. I’ll continue to give my very best for Sri Lanka in the months and years ahead,” the youngster concluded.
